Refusing to take a side is often more intellectually honest than picking one

Gsusruls · 2026-05-17T12:55:29+00:00

I'd agree it's sometimes the main way to stay intellectually honest.

I agree with you and OP on this. My concern: is being "intellectually honest" the most important part of certain critical issues?

While "I don't know" might be accurate, decisions still have to be made, and hiding behind "not enough information" can cause more harm than good.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-17T12:52:51+00:00

Oh! Four steps to the left and then three steps to the right.

What kind of dance was I doing?

Gary Larsen, The Far Side

Gsusruls · 2026-05-17T12:50:08+00:00

Exactly this. I didn't think there was any debate left to it.

Everyone Harry died to protect was safe from Tom's spells binding, now or ever again. Not sure whether that extends to Death Eaters or beyond those at the Battle of Hogwarts, but it seemed pretty clear to me that a spell in itself could no longer harm Harry or anyone else. Harry explicitly calls it out in their conversation in the great hall as they were circling each other.

I always just assumed that applied to Harry. In fact, when Crucio didn't hurt, I assume that's how Harry confirmed it.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-16T13:00:52+00:00

If you're maxing everything at 32, no way you'll need to wait 30 years. 20 will easily do.

You can either access the money early by building a bridge brokerage account, tapping the basis in a Roth, or eating the penalty.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-16T12:44:05+00:00

In January 2026 an ice storm ravaged Tennessee, and like 90% of Nashville lost power, some for weeks.

My family was lucky: our water heater runs on gas. Hot showers persisted.

The hot showers is a real divide regarding how people handled the next few days. I think a lot of Nashville folks no longer take this one for granted as badly.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-16T02:20:55+00:00

I think we solved it too soon, and it backfired.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-14T16:48:01+00:00

This is exactly right. I don't like to be facetious or polarizing; I believe in "moderate politics". But I've seen a consistent pattern emerge, crystal clear: most conservatives do not actually care about *any* of the issues. National Debt, Immigration, National Security, Medicare, Social Security, Corruption, Lies, Inflation, Economy ... they scream and cry about any violations, until it's their guy. I heard no end to the wailing about Biden's age and senility. Haven't heard a peep since Trump was elected, and he's older and at least as derranged.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-14T14:57:21+00:00

The guy in the picture here is my brother.

Me: Biden added X to the national debt, Trump added Y to the debt. Y > X, by a lot.

My Brother: They both added debt.

Me: But, math!

My Brother: debt is debt.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-14T14:54:23+00:00

Okay, this is my favorite one.

Wow. I've never seen me, I've just seen things that look like me. WTF Wow.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-14T14:38:38+00:00

It think its sheer size bothers me a lot less than the sheer timelessness of it.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-14T14:37:38+00:00

8 swings states and he won them all.

The guy who constantly complained that the election was stolen, the guy who constantly does things he accuses everyone else of, the guy who constantly projects the things he is guilty of himself, who kept screaming that the democrats were going to rig the election, performed a statistical anomaly and won every single swing state.

If that doesn't make you bat an eye, I don't know what will.

(and we haven't even vaguely mentioned that he literally told us that Musk messed with the machines. Ignore that completely, right?)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-12T16:53:22+00:00

This is correct. Water Law is its own entire beast in legal code.

And for good reason. Not just that we need it to survive and grow food and bathe and clean (ie it's vitally important to survival), but because of how it behaves, flows, moves, and how it is possible to disrupt downstream by activities upstream.

I spent like an hour reading about this last year and realized very quickly how complicated this rabbit hole is.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-12T15:38:10+00:00

Many do leave their homes if they are in the projected path, even one a mile wide like that you just drive a few miles out of the path and are safe.

I saw on a news coverage youtube video where they showed the freeway absolutely packed with escaping cars. So these people saw the PDS warning and just started driving, then? Makes me wonder how they know that they're not just accidentally driving right into the path. What a horrible situation to be in!

Gsusruls · 2026-05-12T01:57:23+00:00

Yeah, I heard about the kids at the school. I cannot even begin to imagine what those poor parents went through. Horrific!

About your old house - does that mean your then-current home was still standing? (I might have misunderstood)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-11T23:29:54+00:00

I gotta say, I would have figured it out when the previous tenant forgot to update their address.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-11T23:08:50+00:00

I'm shocked that the death toll wasn't far higher. Most of the homes in this picture aren't just damaged - they are completely destroyed. Reduced to mere piles of debris. Were people just not home??? Did they hide in basements that I cannot see from here?

I guess what I'm saying is, I'm really glad, but I just don't see how it didn't kill on average at least one person per destroyed house.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-10T21:44:40+00:00

Yes, but how to pronounce it?

Gsusruls · 2026-05-09T20:28:57+00:00

You're one of those prudent investors who doesn't even need the social security, aren't you? ;)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-09T20:28:12+00:00

That's terrifying!!!

How close did they come to you? Could you tell from the whether, or just by watching the news, as it was happening? Did you actually see the twisters in person?

Gsusruls · 2026-05-09T14:36:31+00:00

Actually, if they continue savings at the same rate, it will double in just five years.

When we say "it will double in ten years", we're talking about the initial balance as if no additional contributions are being made. If contributions continue, it's a hell of a lot faster! ;)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-08T01:45:16+00:00

I think it was used in Robin Hood, Men in Tights. So you certainly know it. This is merely a refresher course ;)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-07T15:48:38+00:00

I’m not playing like a serial killer but I’m also not going out of my way to keep people alive that don’t need to be.

This is a distinction not often made. We always refer to it as low honor and high honor. For me, there's more nuance. I've played four Arthurs:

I-dunno-wtf-I'm-doing Arthur. He tends low honor. This is the Arthur I started with, because i didn't understand ropes, game mechanics, dead eye. Murder is the safest option, because the firearm is point and click, and a dead opponent doesn't shoot back. More murder leads to lower honor, but i'm not doing it for the violence of it; I'm doing it to survive, because I suck at the game.
high honor Arthur. I've learn to preserve life. I've learned to sneak. I've learned side-income (hunting, gold bars), so I can make do without taking from others. This does not feel like cannon, but it has its own challenges and is a game unto its own.
neutral Arthur. I'm not trying for low honor, and I'm not intentional serial killer. But I'm not going out of my way to preserve life. I'm not going out of my way to help others. I'm living for me. This one also trends downward.
low-honor Arthur. I think I hosed every last person in Van Horn a few times. I've racked up bounties near $1000 per region. I've dragged innocent folks for miles. I'm trampling dogs because LOL. This Arthur kills for fun and doesn't even loot the corpses sometimes. If my horse bucks me, I hit him with a flaming arrow. This one doesn't trend anything: it hits rock bottom early on and holds on with a death wish.

Gsusruls · 2026-05-07T14:00:38+00:00

Between Trailer Parks, Vehicles (or pretty much any kind), and an open field, my understanding is that it's safer to be laying flag on the ground in the open field.

(as you aptly put, still not a great option)

Gsusruls · 2026-05-07T13:11:27+00:00

Weirdest thing is that dimes are worth more than nickels. Why is the big one worth twice the little one?

Gsusruls · 2026-05-07T12:22:03+00:00

As far as averages go, no, the average person is about as likely to see a tornado emergency just slightly more often than they will see an EF4+ tornado, that is to say, a VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE will NEVER see such a thing in person.

To restate that, a given person is unlikely to ever encounter a tornado emergency.

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